User-centered and inclusive cartographic design
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2026 |
| Type | Chapter of a book |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Description | Together, we form the core leadership group for the International Cartographic Association (ICA) Commission on the User Experience, where we advocate for designing mapping products with direct input from their intended users. In this chapter, we use the term “mapping products” to describe the software, hardware, and materials available for designing maps as well as the resulting maps, tactile or otherwise. We adopt arguments from user-centered and inclusive design that recruiting users who are often found at the margins of design is not only ethical because it supports universal human rights but also results in a more robust user experience for all. We first introduce key tenets of user-centered and inclusive design and then summarize a six-stage user-centered design process we employ in our work. Next, we summarize design recommendations about tactile mapping derived from user studies. We conclude by adopting arguments from disability and design justice that the design process should be led and controlled by the users who are most affected by the resulting designs. |